Ball-game apparatus.



PATENTED DGT. 25, 1904.

P. E. SPINK. BALL GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 7, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

WITNESSES I PATENTED OCT. 25, 1904.

F. E. SPINK.

BALL GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JANA, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NO MODEL.

Wl TNESSES:

av 2. M

U ITED STATES Patented October 25, 1904.

PATENT OEEicE.

BALL-GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 773,167, dated October25, 1904.

Application filed January 7, 1904- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, FENToN E. SPINK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain newand useful Improvements in Ball-GameApparatus; andIdo declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art towhich itape pertains to make and use the same.

Myinvention relates to ball games; and the invention consists in a gamein which there is a suspended ball and a tally member or guard line orrope stretched along each side of the field, adapted to be engaged bythe ball under a movement from the hand by one of the players, therebyscoring a point in the game against the side whose line has been thuseng'aged. The length of the suspensory cord for the ball and thecorresponding size of the field will depend largely on the space one mayhave for erecting the game, and the game may be played in the home, ingymnasiums, or out of doors, and while it is designed, chiefly, for twoplayers there may be two or more on each side. Ordinarily forout-of-door games the field is, say, about fifteen by thirty in area byfifteen feet high.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the gamewith two play-' ers on the field, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the game.Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive, are enlarged details and modifications of partsof the game. Thus Fig. 3 is a side view of the link-andswivel connectionand suspensory cord for the ball with the ball in section at its lowerend. Fig. 4 shows one of the elastic tension sections which form a partof each long guardline constituting the sides of the game. Fig. 5 is amodification in which acounterweight substitutes the elastic section inFig. 4:. Fig. 6 is a further modification having a record ingdial and aspiral spring and plunger connected with the side line, as hereinafterfully described. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail of one of theguard-line-supporting arms and its adjusting connections.

As thus shown,'the game comprises a playball B, with which all theplaying is done.

The said ball may have any reasonable size Serial No. 188,028. (Nomodel.)

and weight, dependent on the place of its use and the persons who are toplay with it. Ordinarily in out-of-door or gymnasium work for adults theball may be from six to ten inches in diameter and twenty to twenty-sixinches in length and from two to six or more pounds in weight. There isno special limit for either size or weight, and for children it shouldbe proportionately smaller and lighter than for adults, and it isintended to be pushed or swung rather than to be struck with the fist,as in the case of'a punch-bag. It is too heavy and maybe too hard to bestruck with either an open or a closed hand. Therefore the ball is notstruck a blow, but is given a swinging movement by pushing it with aquick action toward the opposite guard-line O, and this is done so as tobe sure and strike the line either by the ball itself or by the cord 6,by which it is suspended. On the opposite side the player is intent onnot permitting his line C to be struck or moved by the ball, becauseevery actual appreciable touch of the ball or cord delivered thereoncounts a point against him, and this extends to accidental striking ofhis line by himself. Within the upper or coneshaped half of the ball Iprefer to use an inflatable bladder B, of rubber or the like, and in thelower half a stufiing or filling of cotton or similar material. Ofcourse the person serving the ball will always endeavor to send -it toaportion of the line farthest from the opposite player and where he willfind it the most diflicu'lt to intercept or reach before the line ishit, and this requires the utmost vigilance and diligence in the playerand affords opportunity for either moderate or violent exercise,according to the spirit in which the playing is conducted.

The means or framework for erecting the game may be considerably varied;but the simple construction shown employs two sectional end poles D,set, say, twenty-five feet apart for open-court work, upon which areside arms E of a length equal to half the width of the field, or abouteight to thirteen feet long each. These arms are shown here as socketedin slot F inlower pole D and free therein to permit removal andadjustability of said arms, which adjustment is had at their outer endsto raise or lower the same by means of guy-rope (Z and ring or clamp con arms E. The poles I) are strong and stiff and secured in an uprightposition in any practical way, according to where they are erected, andfor either indoor or outdoor purposes they may have guy-ropes or othersuitable stays in one or more directions.

As here shown, the cord or rope b, carrying the ball, is suspendedmidway between poles C from a rope or cable a, connecting the top endsof said poles, and the said cable preferably has a link (it, in which isloosely connected a swiveled snap-hook G, to the revolving portion ofwhich the cord is attached.

The guard or tally lines C are stretched between the ends of oppositearms E at an elevation above the heads of players, and ball B may swingat about two feet, more or less, from the ground or floor. In playingthe ball may be given any direction or movement that will carry itbeneath or over the opposite line, and it may strike the line on theoutgoing or the return passage or not at all, as the case may be. At anyrate it is each players first business to see that his own line is notstruck by the ball or cord at anytime and that his opponents line isstruck as frequently possible. Now owing chiefly to the weight of theball and the taut or tightlystretched conditions of the guard-lines itis necessary to have a yielding or flexible portion or section in theline which will so far surrender when the line is struck that thetension of the line will not be excessively tried and that the ball willnot be forced into such sharp reaction thereby as to cause it to whirland wind around the line. Instead of this it is much better to have theline yield or surrender in the direction of the travel of the ball underelastic resistance in the line, and thereby avoid its wrapping aroundthe line. 'Then, again, if the ball be thrown over the line so as to becaught thereby the player can reach up and grasp the line and pull itdown to free the ball rather than lift the ball bodily to get it across,as a rigid line would require. Hence these lines areeach provided withone or more flexible or yielding portions or sections 0, while the saidline otherwise may be simply a piece of rope or heavy twine or the likeor a special manufacture for this purpose. In Fig. 2 I show a flexibleportion 0 at each end, which may be of rubber, a wirespring coil, or anyequivalent, and in Fig. 4 I show a presumably rubber section 0 with alimiting-cord c and a bell J in this connection, so that if the guard ortally line be noticeably moved the bell will be rung and indicate that apoint has been scored.

A modification of the spring 0 is shown in Fig. 5, where a counterweight0 is shown as attached to one end of line C, running over sheave c in abracket 0', presumably attached to a suitable upright.

l l 1 l l l In Fig. 6 lineGis connected with a plungerrod 71., encircledby a spiral spring 71,, held in a skeleton frame h, forming an extensionof the circular dial frame or support H. The said spring h is theequivalent of spring 0' above, and a keeper h on the end of plungerrod/1 slides on frame [t and actuates a longitudinally-slidable rod If,which is adapted to tilt the bell-clapper 22, pivoted by its stem a ondial H. At its outer extremity the said stem is engaged by the notchedend of said sliding rod An adjustable nut of on rod 72, lixes the limitof idle movement of plunger h before actuating rod 722". A pointer orfinger 41 on said dial is actuated through a ratchetwheel 91" on therear of the dial, which is engaged by a tooth on rod 7L5. Thus both thebell N is rung and the points are recorded at the same time as tensioncomes on a guard or tally line, and plunger h is actuated. In thisinstance a record of the points scored is automatically kept, and aclockwork recording mechanism may be used. cases the ringing of a belldenotes a point made.

Arms E are preferably made adjustable to permit lowering or raising ofthe guard or tally lines to accommodate different heights in players orvarying planes in the surface or field. The structure as a whole is alsopref erably of a knockdown character.

\Vith the use of a bladder B within the upper end of ball B, I find thatthe dangerfrom the use of a heavy ball is practically eliminated.Furthermore, greater skill is required by the players in delivering theball and in checking it from striking the tally or guard lines. Thus ifthe ball is delivered or caught at its lower or filled end a perfectcontrol of the same is had, but if it be caught or struck at its upperend a surrender or yield in the ball itself, due to the inflatedbladder-backing, and which can bemade more or less according to thedegree of inflation, lessens the force of the blow.

Limiting-cord 0 guards against an undue pull or strain upon flexibleconnections 0' and limits the stretch of line C when pulled or forcedout of a straight line.

hat I claim is 1. In a game "apparatus a ball, a suspensory support forthe ball, a yielding guardline at one side of said support stretched atan elevation permitting players to stand and move about beneath the sameand adapted to be struck by the ball as it is played across the field,substantially as described.

2. A ball-game apparatus consisting of a pair of guardlines stretched atan elevation permitting players to stand beneath the same, and a balland suspensory support centrally between said lines, whereby the ball isadapted to swing and strike either line, substantially as described.

3. The game apparatus comprising a set of In the other guard-lines andsupports between which said lines are stretched, said lines each havinga yielding end connection, and a swinging ball between said lines,substantially as described.

4. In a ball-game apparatus having a defined playing-field, a pair ofguard-1i nes constituting the sides of the field and stretched at anelevation above the heads of the players, said lines each having ayielding connection. and a ball suspended centrally between said linesand at a level beneath the lines, and means connected with each line toindicate when the ball strikes the line, substantially as described.

5. In a game apparatus a ball, a suspensory support for the ball, atally-line at one side of said support adapted to be struck by the ball,and a yielding supporting connection for said tally-line adapted torelieve the strain uponsaid line when struck by the ball, substantiallyas described.

6. A game apparatus comprising a ball and a suspensory support therefor,a flexible guardline adapted to be engaged by said ball and to yieldwhen thus engaged, and a bell connected with said guard-line to audiblysignal the en-- gagement between ball and line, substantially asdescribed.

7. A game apparatus comprising a ball and a suspensory support therefor,and a flexible guard-line adapted to be yieldingly engaged by said ball,in combination with tally means operatively connected with said line,substantially as described.

8. The combination of a ball and a suspensory support therefor, with aguard-line adapted to be engaged by said ball, flexible connections forsaid line, and a check to limit the pull upon said connections,substantially as described.

9. The combination of a suspended ball free to swing, with guard-linesadapted to be engaged by said ball, and means to adjust and fix saidguard-lines at different elevations above the heads of the players,substantially as described.

10. The combination of a ball and a suspensorysupport therefor, with aset of tally members adapted to be engaged by said ball, supports forsaid tally members, and means to adjust said tally members separately inrespect to the play of the ball, substantially as described.

11. In a game apparatus, a swinging ball and tally-lines at each sidethereof adapted to be engaged thereby, and a support for said ball andlines comprising a set of standards provided with adjustable arms forsaid tallylines, and a central connection between the standards for saidswinging ball, as described.

12. In a game apparatus, a swinging ball and tally-lines at each sidethereof adapted to be engaged thereby, and a support for said ball andlines comprising a set of standards, arms adjustably mounted on saidstandards and guy-ropes and clamps to raise or lower said arms, and across connection between said standards to support said ball,substantially as described.

13. In a game apparatus, a free-swinging ball and tally-lines adapted tobe engaged thereby, a support for said lines comprising standards withside arms mounted thereon, means to adjust said arms to a higher orlowerplane at their outer ends, a flexible connection between said arms andtally-lines, and a tallysignaling device operatively connected with eachline, substantially as described.

14. In agame apparatus, a cone-shaped ball enlarged in diameter at itslower portion with a tapering upper portion, a filling of cushioningmaterial in said lower portion and an inflatable bladder in said upperportion, substantially as described.

15. In a game apparatus played with a swinging ball, a ball elongatedfrom end to end comprisingasolid filling within its lower half end andan inflatable upper half end and a cord connection at its upper end,substantially as described.

16. The combination of aplaying area having a free unobstructedplaying-surface with a ball suspended to swing above said area and ahorizontal tally member supported at one side of said ball at anelevation permitting players to move freely in upright position beneaththe same and adapted to be struck by the ball.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

FENTON E. SPINK.

substantially Witnesses R. B. MosER, O. A. SELL.

